Taking Chances
by whistle.me
Summary: AU: Callie had given up on love a long time ago, and her daughter couldn't be happier about this. But could a teacher that goes by the name of Miss Robbins give Callie hope in love again?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Greys Anatomy or any of the characters on this or any other show. If you recognise it, then it's not mine. All bow to Shonda and her great mind

**Description:** AU: Callie had given up on love a long time ago, and her daughter couldn't be happier about this. But could a teacher that goes by the name of Miss Robbins give Callie hope in love again?

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**Taking Chances**

**Chapter One**

"Sofia! Gracie!" The shrill tone of Callie's voice could be heard through the entire apartment and potentially all the apartments in the building. "We're going to be late!" Callie rushed the two girls from where she stood in the kitchen before hurrying around the counter to pour herself coffee from the coffee machine into her blue travel mug.

Under no circumstance was she going to be denied her morning caffeine intake. It was known by anyone who knew her well that coffee was a necessity for her to function properly. And although she didn't have time to enjoy her first cup of the day in the comfort of her home, it did mean it couldn't go with her.

"What time does Sofia's swimming practice end?"

Glancing up from the lunch bags she had started to prepare to meet blue eyes Callie answered, "4:30. You're picking her up" she stated with a raised eyebrow, the words that followed were stressed indicating the importance, "_DON'T _forget. I don't want to look like the bad parents again that forget to pick up their kids from practice."

"It was one time! I forgot once, Torres!" The man defended himself from over the newspaper he was reading.

Callie rolled her eyes, "And once Mark, was more than enough!" she remarked placing a yellow post it note into the lunch bags before folding the top of the brown paper bags shut.

"That" the man pointed to the notes being placed in the lunch bags, "that is not cool." He shook his head in disapproval before taking a large bite from his French toast.

Ignoring him the women turned her head in the direction of the hallway leading to the bedrooms "Girls come on!" Turning her attention back to Mark as she gathered the lunch bags and her travel flask, she reminded, "family night tonight."

He nodded his head a small smile at the corner of his lips, "I know"

Hearing two sets of footsteps hurry towards the kitchen Callie juggled the items in her hands so she could reach for her leather jacket from the back of the wooden stool next to Mark and her car keys from the table.

"Good morning Daddy!" A teenage version of Callie hollered as she quickly made her way into the kitchen to kiss her father on the cheek, before turning on her heels just as quickly making her way out the kitchen and to the front door. Stopping only to grab the lunch bag held out by her mother on the way.

"Daddy!" The childish squeal was heard next as a small child stood on her tippy toes to reach up to hug her father before leaving for school.

"Morning princess" Mark smiled, lifting the child for a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before placing her back down on her feet. "Have fun at school, Gracie"

"I will! Love you, Daddy" The girl smiled to her father before turning and taking the offered lunch bag from her mother, "Thank you mommy." She smiled sweetly, before bouncing out the kitchen door to the front door where her sister waited."4:30!" Callie reminded with a grin, moving over to kiss Mark on the cheek.

"I know!" Mark assured slightly irritated by the woman's lack of faith in him. "I'll see you at work!" He called just before hearing the front door slam shut. Sighing at the feel of peace wash over him after his morning of watching Callie and his kids run around him in their usual hectic morning routine.

Callie glanced at the digital clock on the dash of her car and smiled to herself '8:45 not bad Torres' she thought giving herself a mental tap on the back. She'd already dropped her eldest daughter outside the gates of her high school a few blocks down. Now she just had her youngest to drop off, before she herself heading to work.

"Are you ready, Missy?" Callie asked opening the back door of the car for her little girl.

"Yes boss!" Grace smile beamed as she jumped out of the car saluting her mother. This made Callie smile and chuckle at her daughter's antics.

Stepping away from the car Callie helped slip the bright yellow SpongeBob backpack onto her daughter's shoulders, then taking her daughters small chubby hand into hers they walked together to the playground outside the girl's classroom.

As they came to a stop and waited for the classroom door to open Callie listened to the ramblings of her daughter. "And!" the child jumped on her feet with excitement making the two piggy tales on the sides of her head bounce "Miss Robbins said she had a special surprise for us today."

"She did?" Callie asked excitedly for her daughters benefit. However the mention of her daughter's favourite teacher made Callie run her fingers through her dark loose locks nervously making sure it is still indeed neat.

"Miss Robbins is awesome." The child smiled.

"Yeah" Callie agreed with a dreamy sigh while straightening out her leather jacket she had on with the hand unoccupied by her daughters grasp.

Fussing over her appearance was now a routine for Callie as she stood on the same play ground every weekday waiting for the school bell to sound. And the reason for all the fussing was the blonde bombshell that would be waiting to greet Gracie and her class mates in just a few minutes.

The playground was crowded as parents and children chattered waiting for the bell to sound and the classroom door to be open.

When hearing the school bell sound Callie crouched down to be level with her daughter, "I'll miss you."

The young girl rolled her chocolate brown eyes dramatically and hit her head with her palm "I have to go to school mommy." She explained like every morning "So I can be a doctor like you and Daddy when I'm bigger if I want too."

"So you do." A smile broke on the proud mothers face as she nodded in agreement hugging her daughter tight. "Have fun, baby girl"

"I will!" The girl agreed. Kissing her mother's lips she wiggled out of the hug, turning to make her way to the classroom door that was now being held open, "I love you!" The girl called over her shoulder as she ran to the classroom door only stopping briefly outside the door to greet her favourite teacher good morning.

Standing up Callie eyes followed her daughter through the mass of parents and children. She watched as her daughter entered the building from across the playground.

Callie groaned to herself 'fuck' she cursed her eyes falling on her daughter's teacher who was holding the classroom door open. Just like every morning for the past month Callie had lingered on the playground longer than needed captivated by the beauty that was just… "Miss Robbins" Callie whispered with a blissful sigh as the bustle of parents and children disappeared from around her and her ears became mute to everything but the birds tweeting in the distance. And all that was there – all that existed was her and the blonde teacher.

Miss Robbins seemed to move in slow motion or at least to Callie's eyes. She was dressed in a smart tight white buttoned shirt and grey trousers that hugged just the right places around the firm round peaches of her behind. And Callie couldn't help but drag her eyes the length of the women starting from the ground up. Over the past month since Grace has started school Callie had done this nearly every morning, at any opportunity she had.

The area surrounding the teacher seemed to glow in a golden aura. The sun reflected from her golden tresses. Callie jumped slightly in surprise when her dark lusty eyes met the sky blue of those before her. A whimper slipped from Callie lips, when she received a smile from the teacher her eyes sparkling and her cheeks dimpled. "Oh god" She whispered to herself, as she stared into those eyes - Those hypnotising eyes - Those eyes she had become to find so captivating. Her stomach felt uncomfortable from the attack of butterflies. Her heartbeat was racing. Her palms sweating as she sent back a smile of her own.

"Oh this is so sad." Callie's line of vision was blocked by another body. The people around her came rushing back to the playground. The noises of voices and cars in the distance crashing back to her ear drums. And everything sped up from the slow motion it had just been in.

Callie briefly met the eyes of her friend before looking over her shoulder back to the teacher that had now disappeared back into the classroom with all her students of the day safely tucked away with her. "What's sad?" The brunette asked with a slight huff, trying to play innocent.

"Don't act coy" her friend smiled as they both turned and walked together back to their cars "You've been eye sexing that woman for a month now. You have got to stop. It's not appropriate for the playground. And I don't want Zola seeing your sexual tension with her favourite teacher"

Callie shook her head and pouted slightly having been caught once again staring at her daughter's teacher by her friend, Meredith. "That woman is a goddess." Callie stated. "She's not freakin' human. How does someone look that good every single day? She's trying to kill me."

Meredith chuckled as she shook her head at her friend's words. "You have a crush on your six year olds teacher"

Callie blushed slightly at the thought. She was a confident, strong independent woman. She did not get crushes- she was badass for crying out loud! But something about Miss Robbins turned her into a teenager with a crush. Callie shook her head, straightening her back and hardened her face "Shut it, Grey!"

This just made Meredith giggle harder.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

It had been a busy morning for Callie and she had been swept off her feet on entering, Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital. Two surgeries and four consultants along with the mass of paperwork that came with being the head of her department had kept her busy for hours. And only now had a small window of spare time arisen for the women. Not missing her chance the she quickly made her way to her favourite coffee cart just outside the building.

"Hey"

Callie jumped in surprise when she was greeted by her friend. She had been too busy digging around her lab coat pocket for money that she didn't realise she had been standing in queue behind the redhead, "Oh hey, Addison"

"You okay?" Addison asked, paying for her own latte and standing aside for Callie to make her order. "You look … Tense."

Paying for her beverage, Callie took it from the counter it had been on, "Yeah- I mean no. I'm just, I-I'm fine" they walked together back inside the building and towards the elevators, "Busy morning." She continued to explain, "Coffee withdrawal, new interns. I hate new interns" Stopping outside the elevator Callie pressed the button and continued to babble, "I'm thinking about taking Gracie out of school. I mean she's six…missing a few years couldn't hurt, right?"

Raising a brow as she took a sip from her latte Addison asked, "Is this about your daughter's hot teacher?"

Callie shrugged with a small pout, "She's making being celibacy hard."

The elevator door pinged open and the two women made their way into the crowded tin box together, "Celibacy is overrated, Callie." Addison continued as the elevator door closed behind her. "You need to start having sex again"

Callie's cheeks started burning her eyes widened "Addy!" She hissed, hoping that everyone in the elevator didn't hear. However that theory was unsuccessful. And everyone had indeed heard Addison's revelation about her friend. It was fact that within the next hour everyone in the hospital will also know that Dr Torres was celibate.

"What?" Addison questioned stepping off the elevator with her friend, "I'm just saying these sexual urges you're finding hard to resist is expected after nine and a half months of no sex."

Callie sighed and rolled her eyes. She stopped walking down the quite hallway stopping her friend with her, "I used to walk tall" Callie started turning to face her Addison. Ignoring the fact her friend was wrong and it hadn't been nine and a half months it was now close approaching eleven months.

"What?" Addison frowned not understanding.

"I used to walk tall around these halls and in this hospital. But then George happened and he took off a couple of inches off me; then Erica took a few more off." Callie sighed before holding her hand out to count on her fingers, "Then Andrew, Sadie, and Justin-do you need me to continue?" She sighed. "I'm tired of being the source of gossip around her. It's embarrassing" she said a slight whine in her voice at the last statement. "I can't do it anymore. I give up in finding someone. I give up on love, I just keep getting let down and I can't do it anymore."

Addison smiled softly, laying a soothing hand on her distressed friend's arm, "The reason people talk about you around here is because they love and care about you very much. They're just interested in your happiness." The women corrected, "Celibacy is lonely. So it's time to stand tall again" she said before seeing someone in the corner of her eye and rushing off leaving Callie alone in the hallways in her own thoughts.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" It was lunch time and the classroom was empty from children, a few minutes of silence from the deafening sound of twenty eight squealing children was all Arizona needed.

Raising a single brow, from where she sat leg folded on the table opposite her friend, Teddy shook her head. "No." She stabbed at her salad with a fork, "Why?"

The blond shrugged, her feet propped up on the oak of her desk. Arizona closed her eyes for a moment. Her mind pictured the dark chocolate eyes of the women that had been burning holes into her body every morning for the past month. Arizona loved those eyes. They were beautiful. As was the women who possessed them. "Just-don't you think that perhaps in that first moment when you see someone you know you could love that person? Then everything that follows just confirms that you were right? That it was that person all along and in that very first moment what you thought - what you felt you was so completely right?"

Staring at the whiteboard behind Arizona's head Teddy thought about it hard before meeting Arizona's eyes when she came to a decision "No."

The teacher huffed at her friend placing the salad she had been holding on her desk and folding her arms over her chest.

"Is this about your student's hot mom?"

"Yes-no... I don't know. Maybe" Arizona sighed in frustration running her hand through her hair.

"Do you know what I think?" Teddy asked not waiting for an answer before she continued. "I think maybe you want to have a conversation with the women before you make any rash decisions like falling in love."

Arizona took a moment to consider this idea. It was the rational thing. Logical - She hadn't even spoken to the women yet. She hadn't even been in speaking distance of the women. The thought however of speaking to the women made Arizona nervous. Which was strange and she couldn't quite understand why. She wasn't usually one to get nervous around women. She was amazing at it in fact. She had her fair share of women in her time all you had to do was ask one! However recently a certain brunette had entered Arizona's life and made other women inferior – not worth talking to even looking at. Because they weren't her!

"She's probably married right?" Arizona wondered out loud.

"Talk to her! I have to go." Teddy interrupted her friends thought as she jumped down from the table top she had been sitting on. "I have a meeting with the chief before I start tomorrow."

Arizona nodded and stood with her friend. "How are you coping being back from Iraq?"

"I'm getting there. I'm happy to be home" Teddy smiled honestly, "I'll see you at dinner tonight." Teddy said hearing the school bell ring. Arizona nodded and watched her friend rush out of the classroom before getting trampled by small children.

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AN:

Thank you for the feedback much appreciated. Seems I have a lot of interest so I shall continue!

I know it's a short chapter but it seemed the right place to stop.

It's family night next chapter. And Arizona's and Teddy's dinner date so keep tuned! I'm sure a lot of your questions will get answered there.

As always please leave feedback.

Much love!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Spotting her friend sat at a small table in the far corner of the restaurant, Arizona quickly made a beeline there, "Wine. Lots of wine" she demanded, sitting down heavily and dropping her handbag to the floor with a loud thud.

"That bad, huh?" Teddy questioned the teacher's day while signalling the waiter over, "Two glasses of red please." She ordered when the waiter approached the table.

"Bottles" Arizona corrected her friend. "Two bottles of red"

Teddy shook her head and chuckled at her best friends antics, her shoulders shook with the laughter she tried to suppress "Was your day really that bad?" She asked, watching the waiter scurry off to retrieve the requested beverages.

Arizona huffed dramatically before she explained, "Nathan's moving out."

"That's great news! Little Nath is all grown up. He's spreading his wings. Who'd of thought?" Teddy stopped talking when noticing the disgusted look on her friends face.

"This is not good news." Arizona spoke her eyebrows knitted together trying to understand how her friend confused this information for good news. "Nathan is moving out!" Arizona's bottom lip stuck out slightly in a pout, "I don't want him to. I'm not ready for him to leave yet. He's too young."

"He's 21, Arizona." She reminded raising a brow as she took a sip from the wine that had been set in front of her by the waiter.

Arizona rolled her eyes, "How was your meeting with the chief?" she asked changing the conversation knowing that her friend wouldn't take her side on this matter. She knew this from past experiences, and as much as it annoyed her, her friend was nearly almost always right.

"It went great!" Teddy continued to talk about her new ID badge, her office and her having to scrub in on an emergency surgery even though she hadn't technically meant to officially start till the following day. She continued to talk about the other doctors she had met oblivious she had lost Arizona's interest a while ago. "Hello?" She waved her hands in front of her friends face trying to get her attention when she finally noticed the distant look in Arizona's eyes.

Teddy had to turn in her seat to follow Arizona's line of view over her shoulder and when she did her eyes settled on a family enjoying their meal. A brunette on the table caught her eye. She was sat elbow on the table and her chin resting in her hand staring straight past Teddy and into Arizona's eyes. 'Dr Torres' Teddy thought she had seen the woman somewhere and recalled having a brief introduction with her today at the hospital.

"Blue and yellow mixed together makes green!" Grace said excitedly her cheeks bulging with chocolate brownie chunks. She had learnt this fact earlier today after a little experiment she had participated in at school, and she was sharing this new piece of knowledge with anyone and everyone at any given chance.

"We know, Einstein!" Sofia informed digging her spoon into her strawberry sundae "you've said like five times already."

"Sofia" Mark warned sending a stern look in his eldest daughter's direction. She knew better than disheartening her younger sister.

"She's just excited," Callie smiled softly at the child, reaching out to stroke gently at her daughter's dark curls "Aren't you, Gracie pie?"

"Uh-Huh!" The child bounced on her seat with excitement. "Miss Robbins let us mix the paints together ourselves!"

"She did?" Mark asked, surprise in his voice for the benefit of the little girl. He received a nod of confirmation, unable to talk with the mountain of ice cream that had been shovelled in her mouth.

"Hey. Slow down, sweetie. Your ice cream isn't going anywhere." Callie cautioned. The girl giggled at the thought of her desert spouting legs and running off the table and out the building. Once again her overactive imagination taking control of her mind.

"Is Aunt Lexie still taking me shopping on Saturday?" Sofia asked her father.

He nodded, "Yea, she has the day off and she even mentioned something about making a girlie day of it."

"Yes" Sofia hissed a large smile forming on her lips. Girlie day with Aunt Lexie meant shoe shopping, getting their hair done and talking boys. All of the above neither of her parents had real interest in.

Callie leaned to her left to whisper to her co-parent, "Better Lexie than me, the last time I took her we spent three hours in a shop trying to decide if blue really is the new black. Turns out, it's not."

Mark leant in further in to whisper back, "Last time I went I spent two hours talking about boys. There's something's a father just shouldn't have to do, Torres."

Callie laughed her smile wide as she sat up straight in her chair. The hairs on the back of her neck seemed to stand on end and Callie felt as if she was being watched, "If you hurry and finish that maybe we could go see a movie before it's too late."

Both her daughters quickened up the pace of their food consumption with this new promise.

Unable to shake the feeling that she was being watched, Callie moved her eyes around the restaurant nearly jumping out her seat when her eyes locked onto ones that had been secretly watching her from afar for the past five minutes.

Callie's breath caught in her throat for a few seconds before she could force herself to breathe again. The women before her sent her a soft smile. She seemed so confident. Callie was usually the confident type but something about Miss Robbins made her a nervous wreck. Yet Callie did manage to return a small smile of her own.

"Miss Robbins!" Gracie squealed after a few minutes having finished her desert. She noticed her teacher across the restaurant and jumped off her seat in excitement.

Callie snapped out of the trance the blonde across the room had caught her in, just in time to turn he head in the direction of her very excited daughter running from the table in the direction of her favourite teacher. "Grace!" Callie shouted as loud as she could without making a scene which turned out to be a mere whisper "I'll go get her." Callie informed, before throwing the napkin she had laid across her lap on the table and rushing towards her daughter.

Just then the waiter approached the table handing Mark the check, "I guess that leaves me to pay this" he pouted having hoped for a free meal courtesy of Callie. But once again Callie conveniently managed to get out of paying the bill. He had no idea how she managed to do it but he was impressed every time.

"Gracie!" Callie scolded as she approached her daughter. "You can't just run off like that."

"Sorry" the girl apologized with a shrug, only half aware of what she had done, but not wanting to be told off any further. "I wanted to say hello to Miss Robbins." The girl pointed excitedly to the blonde women whose table she was stood before. "This is Miss Robbins." She introduced her mother to woman she had been chatting to just moments ago.

"I see that, sweetie." Callie's frustration melting away the second her eyes met the piecing blue of Arizona's. "Hi" Her voice was soft as was her smile.

Arizona watched the brunette her lips tugging into a smile of her own at the sight of the woman's before her. A kick in the shin under the table kicked her motor skills back into working and she replied to the greet with her own "Hi" before continuing, "It's nice to finally meet the mother of my best student." This was a slight lie as Arizona had seen the women every day since the new term began. However this was the first time they had actually exchanged words. "Your little girl is going to have the whole school out of gold stars!" the teacher sent a wink to the child who was now shying behind her mother's legs. Grace was a perfect student Arizona had often thought, polite, respectful and listened very well. She was often praised for this and was rewarded with the most gold stars in the class.

"Well I wouldn't expect any different my girl," Callie ruffled her daughters hair, pride evident in her face as she smiled down at her daughter, before her gaze returned to Arizona. Callie studied the face she'd never been so close to the woman before and she had to admit from close up the woman was nothing short but astonishing. And Callie loved everything in front of her, from the icy blue eyes that seemed to calm her mind, the slight fringe that swiped her forehead that Callie wanted to reach out for and the pink shinny lips that made her mouth water and unconsciously lick her own lips.

When Teddy cleared her throat wanting to make her presence noticed, Callie snapped her head towards her. Callie hadn't even noticed the other woman at the table "Doctor Altman?" Callie questioned trying to place where she had seen the woman before, her face seeming so familiar.

Teddy nodded, smiling kindly at the fellow doctor, "Doctor Torres."

"Call me Callie, please. How did you survive your first day at Seattle Grace Mercy West? Have you met Christina Yang yet?" Callie asked knowing her friend had been looking forward for the new attending to start. As the last two attending didn't challenging her enough to her capability.

"Cristina Yang may, in fact, be the best resident I've ever seen." Teddy thought for a moment before continuing, "I don't think she likes me very much, but yeah."

Callie chuckled, "Don't take Yang personally. She has no interpersonal skills. She comes off a little intense. She's just eager to learn. You'll learn to" Callie stopped and thought before speaking "maybe not love her. But you'll understand her"

"Mommy" Grace pulled slightly at her mother's hand seeing the rest of her family waiting at the exit.

Callie turned her head to follow her daughters view to the rest of her family waiting at the exit for them. "We'd best be going if we're going to catch that movie" Callie suggested to her daughter receiving an eager nod of the head. "It was nice meeting you. I'm sorry for my daughter intrusion." Callie apologised her eyes lingering on Arizona's face once again longer than necessary.

"She didn't intrude. It's a pleasure to see my favourite student." Arizona sent a smile to the child then shifted her eyes to Callie's. "It's always a pleasure to see you"

Callie cheeks warmed in a slight blush at Arizona's words and she backed away from the table. "Bye." She smiled one last time before leading Grace by the hand towards the exit.

"Bye Miss Robbins" the girl waved over her shoulder before leaving.

Arizona watched them walk away towards what she believed the rest of her family. She watched a man lift the little girl onto his shoulder and Arizona assumed him to be the father and Callie's husband. The jealousy that ran though Arizona's body didn't surprise her. She tried to shake the feeling but sighed sadly when she couldn't. Jealousy was a green-eyed monster and she knew very well, there's no reasoning with a monster.

Arizona continued to watch Callie fling her arm over a teenager's shoulder as the family of four continued to the exit. And the teacher recognised the family resemblance straight away between the woman that occupied her thoughts 98% of the day and the teenager.

Arizona thoughts saddened. She wasn't a home wrecker. And even if she was the doctor's luggage would probably be a little too much for the teacher. But when Callie turned to look over her shoulder and towards Arizona before leaving the restaurant all thoughts went out the window and all Arizona knew was that she had to know more about one Dr Callie Torres.

She sighed, and averted her eyes meeting an amused stare from her friend "What?"

"It's always a pleasure to see you?" Her friend raised a brow with a smirk.

Arizona rolled her eyes and shook her head. Teddy had a point … she could have been more creative with that line.

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**A/N**

_Many thanks for leaving reviews. Hope you're all still interested._

_Thanks Sarah for the spelling advice. Much appreciated, I shall correct the mistakes when I have more time and am not working a 13 hour night shift. However thanks to you it won't be an issue again._

_My thoughts are with all caught in the storm/hurricane. Hope you are and stay safe_

_As always please leave your thoughts and ideas. I do love each of them. But chow for now!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four  
**

Sunday was known to most as the day of rest. Yet this well known saying didn't seem to apply to Callie. Instead she was stood in her local supermarket. The rest of the world had obviously received the memo about Sunday's as Callie's favourite supermarket was eerily deserted with the exception of the few staff that was forced to work by the large corporate chain on the day of rest.

Scratching her head the doctor looked between the two different types of cheese held in her hand. She searched her brain to remember which one it was that her eldest daughter had taken a disliking too. The week before Sofia had loved both types of cheese. However this week was a whole different story.

Frustrated Callie sighed, decided to throw both of the items into her shopping cart. She muttered under her breath, blaming her daughter for being unable to keep up with her continuous changing teenage taste buds.

Grabbing her shopping cart the brunette continued to shop but was abruptly halted before she had even taken half a step as she nearly collided with another body that breezed past her. "Hey!" Callie shouted in annoyance at the receding figure.

Callie watched as the person turned and looked over their shoulder, blonde hair flipping in the process. Callie quickly recognised the woman, "Miss Robbins?" she asked her face softening from the previous annoyance that had settled on her features when her sight locked on ice blue eyes of the women that was currently skating down the aisle.

"Doctor Torres!" A smile immediately inhabits the lips of the blonde on sight of the other woman. Both women's senses slowing down making them experience slow motion as they gaze at each other happily for what seems to both as eternity. That is until Callie hazed mind notice a large mountain of fizzy soda bottles, stacked from the ground to nearly as high as the ceiling that the blonde was quickly approaching.

Quickly snapping out of the spell the presence of the blonde constantly has her in, Callie's eyes widened "Watch out!"

Arizona turned her head back to face forward just in time to see what she was about to collide with, "Whoa!" Covering her face with her arms just in time to save her face from impact, Arizona screeched as her body slammed into the bottles, bowling down the entire display in one swoop before she herself tumbled to the floor.

"Oh my god" Callie rushed to Arizona's side, "Are you okay?" she asked crouching down as a few items continued to fall off a shelf behind the blonde having also been disturbed in the commotion.

"Um..." Arizona sat up slowly, rubbing at the back of her head where she had hit it on something in the fall "I think so..." Arizona blinked a few times trying to clear her cloudy vision. And when it did her eyes met the dark intense eyes of Callie's. "Well this is embarrassing" the blonde admitted turning a deep shade of crimson when her eyes darting around her at the mess she had caused.

Callie couldn't help but laugh, the scene laid out before along with the blushing blonde was very amusing.

Turning her attention to the laughing brunette, Arizona took a second to study the woman's face and concluded she was indeed even more beautiful than she remembered. The sound of the woman's laughter warmed the teacher's heart making it flutter and the sight made her unconsciously mimic the other woman, her own lips tugging into a smile and a chuckle leaving her lips. "I'm glad you're finding this entertaining."

Callie controlled her laughter but couldn't help but grin as she tilted her head in the direction of Arizona's shoes, "And _this_is why I won't let Gracie have Heelys."

Arizona looked down at her feet, "I will have you know, that these shoes are an amazing way of transportation."

Callie raised a brow and nodded "Sure. Okay." she wasn't the slightest bit convinced.

"I just haven't mastered stopping yet." Arizona admitted, wincing when her fingers touched a sore spot at the side of her head.

Callie reached out her hand towards the blonde, startling her in the process. Noticing this Callie immediately froze the advances of her hand in mid air, "May I"

Arizona nodded and turned her head a little so the doctor could get a better reach. Callie gently nudged a fair hand away from the sore area, and then let her own fingers brush through soft golden locks to find the inflamed area on the woman's scalp.

The close proximity made the teacher nervous and the gentle touching made her temperature rise. Clearing her throat, Arizona looked up and fixed her eyes on Callie's, "So what's the verdict, doc?"

"Do you feel any dizziness or vertigo?" Callie asked, her hand leaving the already swollen area on Arizona's scalp, her fingers grazing the woman's cheek before gently hooking under the blondes chin.

"Nope" she breathed out, followed by all the air in her lungs.

"Do you feel nauseous at all?" Callie asks, lifting Arizona's chin slightly upwards so she could get a better view of the woman's pupils in the light.

"Nope" Arizona repeated softly, her mind memorising the exact shade of brown that made up Callie's chocolate eyes.

After a few seconds of examining the teachers pupils and more than a few seconds letting her eyes study the blondes features, Callie dropped her hand from Arizona's face, to her own knee's and pushed herself on them to stand, "Well then all I have to diagnose you with is terrible choice in shoes."

Arizona gasped dramatically, before taking the hand offered to her by the doctor and letting herself be pulled up to stand. "These," Arizona pointed at her shoes, "Are awesome!"

The doctor chuckled at the blonde's choice of words, "Awesome?"

"Yes, awesome" Arizona stated with a smile and a nod. "I just got them today, for my birthday. I'm still working out the kinks." She admitted kicking her feet slightly as she looked down at them.

"It's your birthday today?" Callie asked receiving a shy nod, "Happy birthday!"She wished with a genuine smile.

"Thank you," Arizona smiled brightly her eyes had a twinkle and her cheeks dimpled, in what Callie could only describe a breathtakingly, beautiful, time stopping smile. Falling into a silence as the supermarket attendants arrived to fix the mess the teacher had made, Arizona found herself studying every inch of the brunettes face.

With her eyes lingering on Arizona's lips, Callie spoke reluctantly, "I best get moving, I'm working tonight. I hope you have a very happy birthday." Callie said again, "Be safe on those things," Callie indicated to the shoes Arizona had on her feet "I don't want to see you with a broken ankle in my ER tonight." Callie winked, chuckling.

Saying there goodbye's they parted sneaking glancing over their shoulders at each other for as long as their lines of vision would allow them.

"Happy birthday" Arizona turned her attention from the conversation she was having with best friend Teddy to the new arrival at the table.

"Oh … No" The teacher shook her head in disapproval.

"Oh come on!" The young man sighed heavily setting down the silver tray of different coloured shots. "It's your birthday!" He exclaimed excitedly taking a lighter out of his pocket and setting the spirits alight. "And I forgot candles and you have make a wish." He explained as he finished lighting all the shots. "So make a wish" he said waving his arms towards the flaming drinks.

Arizona shook her head and looked into eyes similar to her own, "What part of a quiet drink did you not understand?" It wasn't that Arizona hated birthdays she just didn't see the excitement in them especially now that all her birthday reminded her was that she was getting old. So she had decided it was just a day, like any other day. And she didn't want a fuss. However she had agreed to a quiet drink by Teddy's and Nathan's continuous nagging.

So now she found herself sat on a stool at a dimly lit bar. She had hoped to be home early as she had work the next day. However eyeing the flames from the shot glasses Arizona was losing faith in that idea.

"Come on I have one for every wonderful year you have lived." The man smiled excitedly pointing at the shots. "Blow them out!"

Rolling her eyes Arizona leant forward to blow out the flames.

"Wait!" Teddy's sudden and unexpected interruption made Arizona jump back upright, "You have to make a wish..." She reminded with a grin.

Arizona raised her eyebrow at her friend, before turning her attention to the tray set on the table. The teacher narrowed her eyes as she tried to think of a good wish, and when she did think of a good wish she leant forward to blow out her birthday shots.

Seeing the teacher's cheeks red as she struggled to blow out her birthday shots the other two occupants on the table leant forward to help blow the remanding few out.

"Yay!" the young man cheered, clasping his hands together with a loud slap before dividing the shot glasses up evenly between the occupants of the table.

"Uh-uh" Arizona shook her finger at the lad taking the glasses that had been in front of him away.

"Oh come on. I'm nearly 20 Aunt Zone" He grumbled unimpressed.

"Yes well I'm just teaching you another life lesson"

"And what's that?" He asked.

"Drinking responsibly"

Teddy chuckled at this, "And we're going to do this by drinking your share."

An hour into the "quiet birthday drink" the teacher was found slumped at the same stool hugging her nephew tightly. "I just love you so freakin' much!" she sat up unwrapping her arms from around the young man to reach up and squeeze and pull at his cheeks, "You've grown up so fast" her eyes watered slightly as she spoke loudly in her drunken.

"I love you too." He giggled at his aunts, finding her current state entertaining. "You're the best aunt anyone ever could ask for." he smiled wrapping an arm around his aunt and giving her a squeeze, while taking a drink out of the one beer bottle his aunt had let him consume.

"I can't believe I have to be in work tomorrow." Teddy groaned from where her head lay flat on a sticky table top. She was starting to regret the amount of alcohol she had consumed even in her drunken state she knew she was going to suffer in the morning.

"Dr Altman!" Arizona exclaimed a little too loudly startling a few people in the quiet bar, however not noticing in her intoxicated state Arizona continued to talk loudly in excitement, "Dr Altman!" She said again making the person in question pry her head off the sticky table. "I saw Dr Torres today." She stated smiling at the memory of the meeting.

Teddy rolled her eyes before asking, "You ask her out, yet?"

"Ask her out?" Nathan ears perked up at the new topic of conversation "are you bringing me home a new mommy!" He asked his eyes sparkling with glee for his aunt - the women that had, through the years become the closest thing to a mother he had.

Teddy giggled from the stool she sat at, "New mommy. She's only had one conversation with her!" Teddy informed. "And that wasn't much of a conversation"

"Two actually!" Arizona cut in. "We've had two conversations"

Rolling her eyes Teddy continued, "Two conversations then." Turning in her chair slightly to face Nathan, she placed her hand over her heart and held it there, "They gaze at each other from afar." She sighed dreamily, "They smile. It warms her heart." Teddy continued to tease receiving a slap to the arm from Arizona.

"Stop teasing!" Arizona pouted, "She could be the love of my life for all we know."

Nathan smiled, and asked, "What's she like?"

"Amazing" Arizona had said simply.

"I only took my eyes off her for one second!" Teddy stumbled over her own feet as she hurried down the corridors. "Maybe two seconds

Catching the older women and steadying her Nathan sighed, "We promised her we wouldn't let her do anything embarrassing!" Nathan reminded, pulling her down the deserted corridors of Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital. "I can't believe you let her get away!"

They had stayed at the bar until closing and Nathan had left the two women standing outside the bar as they continued to complain about having to walk the very short distance to the car in the heels they were wearing. As they stood their Arizona had noticed the large hospital entrance a short distance away and decided she had wanted to go there and seek out Dr Torres.

Teddy had tried her best to object remembering their mutual promise to keep each other from doing anything stupid and something you'd may regret when waking up sober. And seeking out a crush while intoxicated could never end well.

But when Teddy received a message on her phone all her attention had turned to reading it through her double vision and Arizona had taken this as her opportunity to make her escape.

"Arizona!" Teddy hollered down the abandoned hallway, before giggling at her voice echoing against the walls. "Hello?" She shouted liking the echoed sounds that was returned to her ears.

Clamping his hand around the giggling woman's mouth Nathan, shushed her before seeing a flash of blonde hair dart across the corridors across from them. "Hey! Stop!" He called after the figure before quickly following.

Callie glanced up at the large hanging clock on the wall from where she sat behind the desk in the ER. It was a slow night however that wasn't unusual at such an hour, yet Callie tried to push even the thought of it being quiet out of her mind not wanting to jinx the down time she had that enabled her to finish her Sudoku.

"Calliope" Callie had been so engrossed in her puzzle she hadn't notice the women stood opposite the desk from her.

Quickly sitting up straight in her chair, Callie pulled her feet off the table they had been resting on, pulling with it a stack of files onto the floor. "Hey!" Callie was surprised to see the blonde teacher. Following the woman's gaze to the stitched letters of her name on her lab coat, Callie realised she had never really introduced herself to the blonde. "Oh it's Callie," She said, "Only my parent's call me Calliope." She looked back up to find that nobody was there anymore. Frowning Callie stood up and lent over the desk and looked around the corner. Confused when only seeing a few nurses in the distance Callie frowned wondering if she had just imagined the presence of the teacher. Shaking her head, unsure if she had hallucinated she decided it was defiantly time for coffee.

"I am very disappointed in both of you." Nathan looked in the rear view mirror at the two woman sat silently in the back seat.

Nathan found his aunt standing in the ER, and had quickly and discreetly thrown the drunken women over his shoulder and ran out the building with her. They stopped outside the building to allow Teddy time to empty the contests of her stomach, all the while Arizona had to be held back while she kicked her feet in the air trying to get back into the building claiming she wanted herself some Calliope.

Studying the women in the back seat of the car before turning his attention back to the road Nathan thought his aunts had indeed taught him a lesson on responsible drinking after all.

* * *

A/N

Sorry for the long delay. Since my last chapter I have moved and worked long hours and to top it off my iphone I use to write this has a shattered screen.

However I have muddled through! And here's and update. For the reader that was interested to know if the "love at first sight" speech was inspired by the film imagine me and you. It was a bit and it was also something I'm wondering about. Anyone else believe in love at first sight?

Let me know what you think about the story so far.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter five**

The nine o'clock bell could be heard piercing through the building, signalling the start of a new school day. Arizona found herself sat silently at her desk observing her class through wide eyes. Like any other morning the teacher had set aside fifteen minutes for her students to run wild, talk to their class mates and more importantly burn off any extra energy they may be holding onto before she settled all 28 students into uninterrupted learning time.

Arizona continued to watch, her jaw falling slightly in horror. She had to admit that today her students seemed wilder than she could ever remember and instead of looking at 28 sweet young children she found herself comparing them to zoo animals.

Startled by a wave of a hand inches away from her face, Arizona jumped in fright. Clearing her imagination of apes, lions and hyenas, the teacher brought herself back to reality and glanced up at the intruder. She groaned when noticing the other woman, "Mrs Stevens, can I help you?" She asked, her wide dimpled smile not doing much to hide the fact she was irritated by the women's presence.

"I was about to ask you the same thing!" The women said, indicating to the classroom full of barbaric students.

Glancing at her untamed students and then through the open door to the classroom directly opposite hers, she saw Mrs Stevens students sat straight backed in their chairs facing towards the whiteboard waiting in silence for their teachers return. Rolling her eyes Arizona sighed heavily, 'Perfect students' she had thought 'Who need's perfect student's' the shouts of her own students bringing her out of her thoughts and to the attention of Mrs Stevens.

"If you need help with controlling your students, I'm happy to help." The taller women said a slight smirk playing on her lips, happy at the thought of her co-worker struggling.

Smiling sweetly Arizona leant back in her chair crossing her arms over her chest, "May I help you with something Mrs Stevens?" choosing to ignore the woman's comment.

Izzy Stevens cringed at the high pitched noises coming from the children around her, "May I borrow your projector? Mine seems to be broken."

"Of course, help yourself" Arizona agreed, waving in the direction of the projector that was resting on the edge of her desk.

The women thanked her and picked up the device, turning to leave the room she stopped, "You do have a lesson plan that is meant to be followed you know. I'd hate for you to fall behind on your schedule."

Raising a brow at her arch-nemesis, Arizona spoke, "Thank you for your concern, Mrs Stevens. However I'm well aware of the importance of my student's progress and the time frame I'm working within. Please don't worry yourself."

With a huff Ms Perfect or so Arizona often called her in thought left the room with a slam of the door. Not that it could be heard over the sounds of her classroom. Glancing around her room, Arizona smiled at her little monsters playing happily with each other.

The smiles and laughter from her students warmed her heart and she appreciated each and every one of her them. She wouldn't ever change them for 'Ms Perfects' minions because they were perfect to her.

Standing Arizona raised her voice to be heard over the nattering. "Class!" she repeated twice before the room fell silent and the children froze in their actions. Glancing around the room at the children frozen like statues the blonde smiled, "Jimmy I saw you move you're out! Take a seat please."

"Ahh man!" he whined, he was always the first to get caught moving. Yet he still jumped off the table he was stood on and took his seat behind his desk. This was a game played daily in class once they had their fifteen minute burn out time. Arizona continued calling out the children that moved until they were all at their desks quietly.

"Are we all ready for me to fill your minds with awesome, amazing and super cool new things?" The teacher asked, turning her head to her class and pulling at her ear as if to hear better.

"Yes Miss Robbins!" the shouts of her students came in union.

Addison sat at her usual table in the hospital cafeteria her tray of food momentarily forgotten about as she occupied herself with a trashy magazine while she waited for her friend to join her.

"Hey." The redhead looked up at her friend that had appeared at the table with three large Tupperware boxes. Smiling Addison flipped her magazine shut she pushed it aside while Callie settled in her chair. "What's that?" She asked eyeing the plastic containers.

"I bake now." Callie informed placing the boxes on the table with a slight slam before slumping into a chair heavily. When she noticed Mark at the other side of the room; Callie slouched further in the chair and tried to hide her face from the man with her hand.

Noticing the odd behaviour of her friend, Addison asked "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." The doctor said unconvincingly peeking through her fingers to see if the man she was co parenting with had left the cafeteria, only to find him still standing in the same position in the buffet queue.

Arching a brow, green eyes followed Callie line of view. "Why are you hiding from Mark?"

Pulling a face, Callie shook her head, unwilling to share the information but noticing the familiar stern expression on Addison's face, the brunette knew her friend wasn't going to give in. Huffing she tried to explain, "Mark kinda -" rolling her eyes while she attempted to find the right words, Callie started again, "Yesterday, Mark walked in on me... in the shower."

Addison frowned, not understanding the big deal. "So?"

Breathing in deeply, Callie elaborated, "I was...in a compromising position."

"Compromising?" Addison asked, still not understanding.

"I was spending an intimate moment with the showerhead and its different… massage options." The redhead took a moment to understand and when she did a wide smile and a hearty laugh left her lips, making Callie sink in her seat further in embarrassment."Please stop." The brunette begged, "It wouldn't be so humiliating if it wasn't the third time that his walked in on a… awkward moment this week."

"Third time?" her friend giggled, taking a bite of her sandwich. "You know that will make you go blind, right?"

"Look just because I'm celibate doesn't mean I can't..." Callie looked around nervously for prying ears "you know" she continued in a hush, her cheeks warming to form a blush.

Scoffing Addison enlightened "It does mean you can't actually."

Peeling a plastic lid of one of the boxes she'd brought with her Callie pulled a chocolate brownie out of it; "Really?" she frowned taking a large bite of the gooey brownie. When she received a nod in confirmation from her friend, Callie continued to ask in confusion "Doesn't matter now, anyways. Because now – now I bake. When I feel the urge to…release some tension, I bake it out. "

Addison watched her friend, devour two brownies before reaching for a chocolate chip cookie, "And soon you'll be the size of a house and you'll never have sex anyways so good thing you have a hobby." She thought aloud worrying about the amount of calories she had just witness the brunette devour in the space of two minutes.

Callie looked down at the large cookie in her hand, her cheeks slightly budging as she continued to chew down the mouth full of, sweet treat in her mouth. 'Maybe I should think of a new hobby.' Callie thought in agreement.

The sound of a beeper brought both womens attention to their devices, "It's mine" Addison announced pushing her chair back before standing, "Hey If you see Dr Altman, do me a favour and don't approach her." Addison said before walking away.

"What why?" Callie tried to ask the retreating figure of her friend but it was no use she was gone.

'I am a good friend,' Teddy's stood leant against the nurse's station while her eyes moved up and down the hallway. 'No' Teddy argued with herself, 'I am an amazing friend.' She corrected her thoughts.

It had been a week since Arizona's birthday, and Teddy vaguely remembered the promise she had made to her long time friend.

"She's worth being grounded over." Arizona whispered with a smiled as she sunk into the soft cushion of her couch.

Teddy grinned; she had never in her twenty five year reign as best friend seen Arizona so smitten. Teddy had witnessed a few girlfriends and even more flings than she could count and that Nathan would ever know about. But the way her friend was acting now was like a teenager with a school crush. "You hardly know her."

"I know but I want to know her," Arizona shrugged simply. "I want to know everything about her. And that's new for me."Arizona admitted.

Studying her friend for a moment Teddy decided, "I'll help you get to know her"

"Really!" Arizona squealed with excitement, which received a grumpy shout from the kitchen from Nathan who had busied himself in making the two women a secret recipe cocktail to help them with sober up.

"I mean it!" he shouted "One more sound from either of you and you're grounded!" he continued to mumble about the two women waking up half the neighbourhood singing loudly when exiting the car and making their way into the dwelling. "I hope your both disappointed in yourselves!" he said loudly from the kitchen, causing both women to sink into the couch ashamed of their behaviour.

Clearing her head of the memory of that night, Teddy looked up from the plain piece of paper she had hidden in a patients file titled 'Information of Dr Callie Torres' recognising the women approaching the nurses' station she was currently leant against, Teddy quickly flipped the folder in front of her shut. "Addison," the blonde greeted.

"Hey, Dr Altman" Addison shot a friendly smile to the women before leaning over the desk and asking a nurse for a patients files. "How are you getting on?" Addison asked as she waited for the nurse to retrieve the requested files.

"I'm settling in," Altman informed, she had been working for the hospital a little over two weeks now and in all honesty she was enjoying it and she was even starting to feel at home. Which in all honesty wasn't a surprise considering the amount of time she spent there compared to the limited time she spent at her own apartment.

"Actually I wanting to ask you about Dr Torres" In her time at Seattle Grace Mercy West, the doctor had the opportunity to work with a many other attending, however not the women in question.

Frowning, Addison asked "Callie? What do you want to know?"

Subtly opening the file in front of her Teddy shrugged, "I don't know. Anything really" she said nervously resting one elbow on her counter top and her head in her hand.

The redhead laughed out of confusion, "What like, her favourite colour is blue and she likes pizza?" she asked with a frown, not understanding.

Teddy nodded, glancing down to jot the information down, "Yeah, yeah. That's great. Her favourite film or flower would be good too."

Still with a frown confused by the conversation, Addison continued to answer watching Teddy peculiarly "She likes lily's," Addison said, remembering that information of her friend as Callie had nearly killed her once with them unaware of the redheads allergies. "What are you writing?" Addison asked noticing the doctor writing something in the file in front of her.

Teddy looked up quickly, closing the file trying her best to hide it, "no-nothing" she stuttered fumbling with the file, dropping it the process.

The file fell to the floor sliding against the smooth tile towards Addison. Bending down Addison picked up the file flipping it open to find the hidden piece of paper. Studying the content, green eyes looked up to find a wide eyed blonde, "I know it looks weird." Teddy started to explain, "It's really not – I have this friend. I mean it's not even for me!"

Addison looked horrified, "Oh my god! Stay away from Callie you stalker!" Addison shouted tossing the file on the counter before turning to quickly leave, "Creep" she called over her shoulder.

"Wait! Wait!" Teddy tried to stop the redhead from leaving so she could explain but it was too late. Slamming her head down on the counter Teddy groaned, "Perfect."

Callie had been avoiding Arizona, she wasn't quite sure why but she had undeniably been avoiding Arizona. Maybe it was because every time she saw the blonde the more she'd occupy her thoughts.

Or perhaps it was because she had more than once hallucinated the blonde's presence once at work more than once late at night in bed.

Or maybe it was because more than anything Callie wanted Arizona Robbins a desperate want she'd never experienced before, yet she wasn't sure what that meant or even what exactly she wanted from Arizona.

Regardless Callie had decided to avoid the teacher as she felt she had enough to complicate her life without adding another.

So instead of her usual morning and end of school routine of staring shamelessly, admiring the beauty of Arizona Robbins, Callie had started standing at the back of the playground hiding behind other parents safe in the knowledge that she couldn't see the women and her insides were once again safe from turning into mush.

For the past week Arizona had missed seeing the brunette in her usual spot on the playground. The sight of the other woman brightened her day and the shy smile she received every morning and at the end of the school day from the brunette warmed her heart and gave her something to smile and think about all day.

With school finished for another day, and the building nearly deserted by people apart from the last few teachers and janitors in various parts of the building Arizona made her way into the parking lot and towards her car. The sound of her leather boots echoing off the surrounding buildings and a few birds tweeting in the summer sun was all that could be heard.

Opening the door to her red Mini Cooper she drove Arizona's eyes made a quick sweep of her surroundings, something in the distance outside the school gates caught her eye. Throwing the bag she was holding into her car the blonde leant on the open car door and took a better look.

The teacher was unable to keep the smile from appearing on her lips at what she saw. She shook her head and suppressed a laugh at the hilarity of what she was witnessing. Deciding to make her way over Arizona closed her car door with a slam and started to trek over to the small park across from the school.

"Help, mommy!" Grace screamed in fear from where she stood on a branch hugging the thick trunk of a tree.

"This is your fault Mark!" Callie screamed in panic that matched her daughters. "You said that-that I'm over protective and I mollycoddle her and that she needs to toughen up. You told me to let her climb the tree and not be a kill joy! Now she's stuck up there!" Callie continued to rant down the phone she held against her ear. "I'm going to have to call the fire department." She decided as she craned her neck up to see her daughter through the leaves

"She's not a kitten, Torres" the reply was barely heard through the phone as the child continued to scream.

"It's okay, sweetie, mommy's going to phone for help now. Just hold on a few more minutes." Callie shouted up to her daughters. "I have to go, Mark." Callie turned her attention back to the phone call before hanging up not waiting for a reply.

"Need any help?"

Hearing the question asked softly, the panicked mother looked up from the phone in her hand to meet blue eyes, "my daughter is stuck up a freakin tree!" Callie exclaimed throwing her hands in the air.

Chuckling to herself, Arizona looked up to the child, "What you doing up there, kiddo?"

"I'm stuck!" The child called back down to her favourite teacher. "Hi Miss Robbins"

"Hey sweetie" Robbins greeted back and after giving the girl some words of encouragement and a promise that her feet will be on the ground soon the teacher turned her attention to the hysterical mother that was frantically scrolling through her phonebook for anyone that could help.

"I don't know who to call. What do I do?" Callie ran her fingers through her hair nervously and looked up from the phone in her hands to the icy blue orbs of Arizona's eyes. "What should I do?"

Taking a few steps closer to the doctor, Arizona placed a warm hand on each of Callie's biceps. "Hey it's okay." Arizona tried to comfort the women.

"This is all Marks fault." Ignoring the teacher, Callie ranted rubbing her eyes angrily trying to keep herself from crying.

Running the palms of her hands slowly up and down the soft fabric that covered Callie's arms, Arizona tried again to calm the women but before she could speak Callie continued to rant. "I was on the phone to her father and Gracie asked if she could climb the tree and I said no... Because it's dangerous, right? The amount of kids I find on my OR table with broken bones from falling out of trees is ridiculous! No good comes from climbing trees." Callie stated, "But her moron of a father said I'm stopping her from growing and exploring. So I said she could climb the damn tree and now she's stuck up a freakin' tree!" Callie looked into blue eyes through her own teary ones.

"It's okay" Arizona assured giving Callie's arms a squeeze before dropping her hands from the woman she shrugged her grey blazer off her shoulders gently. "It's going to be okay, just take a deep breath"

Eyeing the teacher, who had successfully removed her blazer and was now unbuttoning the cufflinks of her shirt to enable herself to fold up the long sleeves of her white shirt over her elbows. "What are you doing?" The mother asked blinking back tears that were threatening to fall.

"I've climbed a few trees of my own back in the day," Arizona stated holding her jacket out silently asking for Callie to hold the item, which she did. "I was actually kind of awesome at it" the women said smiling not at all modest about the fact. "So I'm going to go help your daughter climb down."

"No, Arizona. I'll call the fire department... They'll have a ladder an-"

Callie was cut off, "Trust me." Unable to argue with the request Callie took a deep breath and nodded before she watched the women turn her back to her and take the few steps towards the tree. "I'm coming up, Gracie." Arizona called up before reaching for the branch above her head and pulling herself up.

Callie stepped closer her grip on Arizona's jacket deadly as her nerves got the better of her. "Be careful." Callie called up her eyes unconsciously settling on Arizona's behind. The tight slacks she wore hugged perfectly and didn't leave much to the imagination. Despite the situation she found herself in, Callie couldn't help her gaze linger there for a few seconds longer than acceptable.

Climbing the last branch to where she needed a panting and sweating Arizona stopped. She rested her forehead against a small branch giving herself a moment to catch her breath. 'What was I thinking?' She thought feeling the burn in her legs and arms. 'I'm too old to be climbing trees!' "What you doing way up here, kiddo?" Arizona asked the girl on the other side of the tree trunk before she looked down to the ground 'Oh god!' In wanting to helpful mother in despair Arizona had forgotten the fear of heights she had developed as she grew up. 'Don't look down. Don't look down.' Arizona chanted in her head closing her eyes to calm her nerves before looking up at the child. "You okay?"

The child nodded her head, hugging the tree trunk tightly "I'm scared." The child admitted she didn't realise she had gotten so high.

"Hey." The blond tried to get the little girls attention, "Hey," she repeated stretching her arm out to touch the girls arm. "There's nothing to be scared about." Lie number one. There was much to fear at such a height. "You're so brave for climbing this high was you scared?" Arizona asked giving the girl her full attention.

Chestnut coloured hair shook from side to side as the girl shook her head no. "I am now though" The girl insisted, "What if I fall?"

Arizona thought for a second, before she spoke up, "What if I press the rewind button and we go down exactly the way we came up? We didn't fall coming up did we?"

Considering the idea Grace shrugged, "Maybe?"

"We could try it." The teacher suggested before she added, "But remember we have to go down exactly the way we came up."

Five minutes later and Arizona made a small jump to the ground, ruining her expensive Prada boots in the process. "One more branch now, brave girl" Arizona coaxed the girl before she was down to a level where the blonde could grab her and carry her safely to the ground. "Yay we made it!" she lifted her hand to high five the girl, "Well done!"

Callie was quick to pull her daughter into a bone crushing hug, wrapping her arms around the girl's body lifting her off the ground, "Mommy!" the girl squealed, "You're squishing me."

"I'm sorry," the doctor quickly placed the girl back on her feet kissing her small face all over, leaving a faint lipstick mark everywhere. "I just love you so much I was so worried" the women said from where she was crouched in front of her daughter.

"Uh-huh." The girl only half listened when her eyes settled on the close by swings, "Can I go play on the swings?"

Callie's forehead creased in a frown, "I suppose." And her daughter was off running in the direction of the swings.

Arizona laughed having witness the discussion, "Kids"

Standing up straight, Callie turned to her face the teacher, "You wouldn't have thought she was only a few moments ago stuck in a tree close to tears," Callie huffed, "I just thought she'd need more mommy hugs to get over the whole traumatic experience."

Arizona smiled, brushing the dirt from her clothing, "Children are resilient. It's what I respect most about them." Arizona said taking her suit blazer from Callie's outstretched hand and shrugging it back on. Noticing the pout on the mother's lips, Arizona smiled.

"Thank you so much Arizona. I don't know what I would of done if you weren't here." Callie admitted, stepping forward slightly and reaching out to straighten the lapel on Arizona's blazer.

"I…D-d-don't mention it," The teacher stuttered, her cheeks warming at the close proximity of the other women.

Callie couldn't help that her hand was lingering on the collar longer than necessary, "Maybe I could buy you a coffee to thank you?" Callie suggested, her fingers still remaining on Arizona's blazer as she looked into blue eyes.

Arizona smiled, nodding, "That sounds perfect." Before remembering, "I have to be somewhere today though. Can I hold you on the offer?"

Stepping back slightly her arm dropping to her side Callie nodded, "Yeah, Sure."

Glancing at her wrist watch Arizona reluctantly said, "I have to go."

"Me too" the doctor turned to check on her daughter, "I need to get the little terror home before she gets stuck up anymore trees"

Arizona laughed, stepping back slightly "I'll see you soon, Calliope."

"It's Callie." The doctor corrected with a frown. The only way for the teacher to know her full name, was if she had actually been at the hospital the night she'd thought she had hallucinated the blonde.

Chuckling Arizona turned to walk back towards her car, turning her head over her shoulder momentarily, "Okay, I'll see you soon, Calliope." She repeated with a grin before turning to let Callie watch her walk away. Which she did with roaming eyes.

"It's Callie." She whispered to herself the blonde too far away to hear

* * *

_**AN**_

_Please excuse any errors. It's 4:45 in the morning and I'm at work dosed up on flu meds. I will correct mistakes soon but I wanted to update so you all had a little something._

_The whole getting stuck up a tree thing...true story. Very Amusing...Not at the time._

_I think you'll all like the next chapter as some of you requested more Callie and Arizona time in it.  
_

_Hope you all had a very merry Christmas and good new years._

_As always please review as I appreciate them all very much. It makes me smile knowing people enjoyed something i did.  
_

_Thank you so so much._


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